If David Moyes’ era of annual top-eight finishes feels like a distant time to Everton, they had a reason beyond nostalgia this week to remember their most successful manager of the past three decades.
When the Scot signed Edson Alvarez for West Ham, it left Everton alone: They are the sole Premier League club not to buy anyone this summer (Wolves have not purchased anyone new but were compelled to buy Matheus Cunha as part of his loan deal). And, as Everton finished 17th, escaping relegation despite a return of under a goal and a point per game, it is an understatement to say they needed reinforcements more than most.
Sean Dyche enters his first full season in charge looking prophetic; sadly for him. “I’ll be very surprised if they say, ‘Here’s another war chest, sign who you like’,” said Dyche an hour or so after keeping them up in May.
He is now “very close” to signing Sporting Lisbon’s young striker Youssef Chermiti, but so far there has been no war chest and his additions are just two: the free transfer of Ashley Young, who is so old he is a former teammate of the 52-year-old Dyche, and the loanee Arnaut Danjuma, who was about to join Everton last winter before turning around at Crewe station and signing for Spurs instead.
Rewind a couple of months and Dyche said Everton had to “recruit wisely and recruit players who, if possible, understand this club”. The more mischievous may argue Danjuma’s January actions suggested he understood the club all too well; given his goalscoring pedigree – only six players found the net more in the 2021/22 Champions League – and talent, plus Young’s age-defying fitness and versatility, there is some wisdom to the deals done.
The problem lies in those not done. Everton have had a summer of stasis when they needed more change. The proposed investment from MSP Capital has still not happened. A squad depleted by the departures of Conor Coady, Yerry Mina, Tom Davies, Andros Townsend, Asmir Begovic and Ellis Simms is smaller than it was, while Andre Gomes and Jean-Philippe Gbamin, who have returned from loans, have not been offloaded. Dele Alli, who is also back, is injured.
Everton contrived to stay up with a final-day win over Bournemouth where they fielded neither a specialist striker nor an out-and-out full back. They left themselves hugely over-reliant on Dominic Calvert-Lewin at a point when his frame has felt ever more fragile; with great predictability, he could miss Saturday’s season-opener against Fulham. They only had four goals from genuine centre forwards last season: two – one a penalty – from Calvert-Lewin, one from Simms and Neal Maupay, who ended the campaign on a 28-game drought. It was a miserable return.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin might have been even more luckless than Dyche— (Action Images via Reuters)
The context suggests that the 19-year-old Chermiti will shoulder a heavy burden; his career total of four goals is scarcely encouraging. “We think he has got the raw talent and potential and can add a different dimension to the squad,” Dyche said, but a futuristic prospect may have to deliver sooner rather than later. There is interest, too, in Italy international Wilfried Gnonto: Dyche is a fan of the teenager who seems to be trying to force his way out of Leeds. Paris Saint-Germain’s Hugo Ekitike, however, is not a target.
The broader picture is that Everton have brought in some £75 million from Anthony Gordon, Moise Kean and Simms since they last spent. Financial Fair Play concerns are a factor; Farhad Moshiri’s well also appears to have dried up after £700m was spent, much of it badly, on signings in his reign.
Dyche could consider himself luckless, in the wrong place at the wrong time, as his successor at Burnley, Vincent Kompany, has been allowed to splash out more than £60m in the summer. Unlike Julen Lopetegui, he has not reacted to austerity with a series of complaints. But his response to dodging the drop in May was to say they should not be in the position again; “It has got to change,” he said in May and, with many of the underlying issues remaining, Everton begin another campaign among the favourites for relegation.
They start with the Dyche blueprint of hard work and traditional squad numbers: The new vice-captain James Tarkowski has been switched from 2 to a centre-back’s more natural 6, the right back Nathan Patterson from 3 to 2.
Tarkowski could complete a personal hat-trick, making the most blocks in the division for a third successive season. For good measure, he ranked second for clearances and headers won last year – all of which could make him invaluable if this proves another rearguard action of a season. Everton could be high on work rate, low on possession, looking to cling on to their Premier League status. And if Dyche can keep Everton up with something to spare, the circumstances will make it a fine salvage job.
